Three levels of government gathered at the Battleford water treatment facility Monday to inspect it and speak to the media.
Gerry Ritz, member of parliament, spoke glowingly of the new facility, which will give Battleford the capacity to purify water for up to 6,000 people. Thanking the "future city" for the foresight to undertake the project when the economy was not doing as well, Ritz stated that "this is the type of production capacity that will draw people in."
Herb Cox, the local MLA, adopted a similar tone. "This is not just about water treatment," he began, elaborating that the program would attract more people and cause more to stay.
Noting that the project received money from municipal, provincial and federal government, current Battleford mayor Chris Odishaw held up the plant as an example of what can happen when all three levels of government work together.
At current water usage levels, the plant will support up to 6,000 people. At that point, greater efficiency or greater treatment capacity will required if the town is to grow further.
